May Day dawns with hope of warmer weekend after temperatures plunge overnight
Heavy rain and strong winds have battered parts of the UK.
Some parts of the UK saw temperatures drop below freezing overnight, although conditions are expected to improve later in the week.
In a week where heavy rain and strong winds have battered parts of the UK and saw the death of a man who was washed into a harbour in Ramsgate, Kent, in what the RNLI described as “atrocious” weather conditions, warmer weather is expected by the Bank Holiday weekend.
Residents at Hemsby, Norfolk, are still counting the cost of the bad weather as preparations are being made to demolish six more clifftop homes after strong winds and high tides ate away at more of the cliff face.
Great Yarmouth Borough Council has condemned the properties in The Marrams as dangerous and said demolition work will take place as soon as it is safe and practically possible to do so.
Deputy council leader Carl Smith said: “Following the storm in March, when the initial properties were lost, it was a sad inevitability that the loss of more cliff material would take place at some time and leave further properties in a dangerous condition.
“Unfortunately, in these unusual circumstances, demolition is the only option to ensure public safety, which is the top priority.”
Temperatures overnight into Tuesday plunged to -4.6C in Aboyne, Aberdenshire, and -4.2C in Redesdale Camp, Northumberland, but there will be a big jump to around 18-19C and 12-13C respectively in those areas during the day.
Mr Burkill said it was a “pretty chilly” start to the day for the University of St Andrews students who took part in the traditional May Day Dip on the East Sands in Fife. They plunged into the freezing North Sea at dawn on the first day of May to promote good luck in exams.
A brighter day is expected across East Anglia and the South East compared with the previous 24 hours.
Top temperatures could reach 15C in the South and around 10C in the North.
There are signs it will get warmer for the Bank Holiday weekend.
Mr Burkill said: “Temperatures are starting to pick up as we start to head towards the long weekend. In the North West it may still be a little bit cloudy with rain but for elsewhere it will be most dry and sunny.”
He said temperatures could hit around 24C and be “pleasantly warm” and the the warmest places are expected to be in the South East.
